Three Takeaways from Portland Digital Summit 2016

Did you know that Facebook’s organic reach is more than double for video what it is for photos? Videos reach 8.7% of your audience organically, versus 3.7% for photos. At the end of 2013, Facebook announced it was making changes to the news feed algorithm to create a better user experience, and this change resulted in most brand pages seeing decreases in organic reach. As the algorithm change played out, it became apparent that native video content was favored by Facebook over other types of content because of how people were interacting with it, resulting in comparatively higher organic reach.

It’s not surprising that with this big push to video, Instagram not only offers video capabilities, it also extended the length of video from 15 seconds to 60. In fact, there’s been a 40% increase in video consumption on Instagram. Here’s what you need to know:

Live is the next big thing! First there was Periscope, then Snapchat, and now Facebook has Live, their answer to streaming content in real-time.

Speaking of which… Facebook Live is engaged with nearly 135% more than regular video

Your video doesn’t have to be perfect. The advent of livestream content has not only made it easier for brands to personally connect with audiences, but it’s also changed expectations for production quality. This isn’t to say that quality isn’t important, but rather that people won’t be turned off by a more raw capture of content. In fact, this can make brands seem more relatable.

Shorter clips (15-30 sec) generate higher engagement.

The first few seconds count the most. Keep it short and start off strong.

Facebook defines a video view as someone watching a clip for 3+ seconds.

Longer clips work well building audiences (allows for measurement of intent).

40% of women engaging with video are 18-24.

40% of men engaging with video are 25-34

Default on video doesn’t include sound, so your video should be able to stand without it.

Content targeted to specific audiences far outperforms broad content.

If you can, create videos specific to each social platform. For example, your longest videos can exist on YouTube, and your shortest videos should live on Instagram and Twitter.

Why Influencer Marketing is the Only Marketing You Need

Instead of a media-centric model of earned, shared, paid and owned, we need a model built around our customers (i.e. what they like, don’t like, passions, etc.). Just look at how we make our buying decisions – we ask our friends and people we trust. This encourages increased brand passion and shifts loyalty from transactions to brand value.

Offer unique and memorable brand experiences for your base.

Create opportunities for personalization.

Make the passionate middle feel special.

Dial up the exclusivity and access for the most loyal and influential.

Give people a reason to create content for you.

Influence is always contextual, so pick the right match and collaborate with influencers based on shared values, audiences and objectives.

Crack a joke! Why Humor Matters to Your Brand

Know your audience:

They already know who you are, so make humor feel authentic to your brand.

Know that comedy isn’t for everyone, but it’s always worth a shot.

Comedy is subjective. Not 100% wrong, not 100% right.

Take a risk:

Stray away from the obvious and know that you can’t always please everyone. With that being said, that doesn’t mean you should look to offend people – stay away from jokes that are racially, politically, or socially insensitive.

Don’t be afraid to make fun of yourself.

Leave some skin in the game:

Be vulnerable.

Expect feedback – both positive and negative.

Keep the humor relevant as well as the response. See Domino’s example below.

Example: Domino’s Pizza #ShowUsYourPizza took the risk and was able to not only use social content in their next commercial, but they were also able to improve the Domino’s experience: